A Realist Review of How Community-Based Drug Checking Services Could Be Designed and Implemented to Promote Engagement of People Who Use Drugs

Wendy Masterton (), Danilo Falzon, Gillian Burton, Hannah Carver, Bruce Wallace, Elizabeth V. Aston, Harry Sumnall, Fiona Measham, Rosalind Gittins, Vicki Craik, Joe Schofield, Simon Little and Tessa Parkes
Additional contact information
Wendy Masterton: Salvation Army Centre for Addictions Services and Research, University of Stirling, Stirling FK9 4LA, UK
Danilo Falzon: Salvation Army Centre for Addictions Services and Research, University of Stirling, Stirling FK9 4LA, UK
Gillian Burton: Salvation Army Centre for Addictions Services and Research, University of Stirling, Stirling FK9 4LA, UK
Hannah Carver: Salvation Army Centre for Addictions Services and Research, University of Stirling, Stirling FK9 4LA, UK
Bruce Wallace: Canadian Institute for Substance Use Research, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC V8P 5C2, Canada
Elizabeth V. Aston: School of Applied Sciences, Edinburgh Napier University, Edinburgh EH11 4BN, UK
Harry Sumnall: Public Health Institute, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool L2 2QP, UK
Fiona Measham: Department of Sociology, Social Policy and Criminology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 7ZR, UK
Rosalind Gittins: Humankind, Bowburn DH6 5PF, UK
Vicki Craik: Public Health Scotland, Glasgow G2 6QE, UK
Joe Schofield: Salvation Army Centre for Addictions Services and Research, University of Stirling, Stirling FK9 4LA, UK
Simon Little: Kinbank Social Research Consultancy, Tayport DD6 9AP, UK
Tessa Parkes: Salvation Army Centre for Addictions Services and Research, University of Stirling, Stirling FK9 4LA, UK

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 19, 1-25

Abstract: With rising numbers of drug-related deaths in the UK and globally, exploration of interventions that seek to reduce drug-related harm is essential. Drug checking services (DCS) allow people to submit drug samples for chemical analysis and receive feedback about the sample, as well as harm reduction advice. The use of DCS is often linked to festival and/or nightlife settings and to so-called ‘recreational’ drug use, but research has also shown the potential of community-based DCS as an intervention serving more varied demographics of people who use drugs, including more marginalised individuals and those experiencing drug dependence. Whilst there is a growing evidence base on the effectiveness of drug checking as a harm reduction intervention, there is still limited evidence of the underlying mechanisms and processes within DCS which may aid implementation and subsequent engagement of people who use drugs. This presents a challenge to understanding why engagement differs across types of DCS, and how best to develop and deliver services across different contexts and for different populations. To explore the contexts and mechanisms which impact engagement in community-based DCS, a realist review was undertaken to synthesise the international evidence for the delivery and implementation of DCS. There were 133 sources included in the review. From these sources the underlying contexts, mechanisms, and outcomes relating to DCS implementation and engagement were developed and refined into seven programme theories. The findings of this review are theoretically novel and hold practical relevance for the design of DCS, with implications for optimisation, tailoring, and implementing services to reach individuals in different settings.

Keywords: drug checking; harm reduction; substance use; drug intervention (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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